458 Challenge vs GT2 and GT3

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/challenge-gt-cars/468345-458-gt2-gt3.html

CW

 

Compared to Challenge cars, yes, 458 GT3/GTD/GT2/GTLM/GTE variants are more rare. By definition, they are specific to the rules of a given series, though at this point I would imagine the GT3 spec is the most prevalent.

Challenge cars are built to a specific spec (it's a one-make series), as are Porsche GT3 Cup, Lambo Huracan ST, etc cars. Contrary to the FIA/ACO/et al series, the manufacturers define the specs though the cars must meet FIA safety standards and homologation rules to allow the series to be sanctioned.

I think Michelotto may have produced 30 GT3/GTD/et al cars in a given year, but that number could be off. I recall once asking the Corse Clienti folks about 458C volumes and it was well over 250, so would likely be (many?)more now.

Evo cars were only factory-produced starting in 2014, though many of the cars were retrofitted. How many, I don't know.

I am unsure of the actual numbers (i.e. I don't think there is a single registry outside of Michelotto and Corse Clienti).

 

Regarding production nubmers, as Entropy states, there are significantly more Cs than GTs. Cs, however, are also "dedicated" race cars and are not street legal. Cs have competed in multi-marque series like SCCA (ITE, IIRC), and GTs are a much higher classed car. Many of the older 360Cs have received GT front and rear aero treatments (deep spoiler, splitter and wing). Ironically, the Cs may have produce more bhp than do the GTs, based on the series air-restrictors placed on the GTs. Still, the GTs will be much faster.

You should dig up the Sam Mitani article comparing a street 360 to the C to the GT at Mont Tremblant. It's somewhat old, but it will give you a sense of the differences in capabilities. The Cs are basically stripped down street cars and then improved for racing. The GTs are built-up, by Michelotto under contract to SpA, as full race cars from the beginning and start with the basic frame/chassis (i.e. they don't have a "tub" construction). The differences in weight, handling, aero, braking, etc. can easily add up to several seconds a lap. This is true for today's 458s, also. So, a general, but inexact, way to think about this is the GTs are the highest plateau, the Cs are in the middle and the street cars are at the bottom (with their own differences between the Speciale and the other plain Jane street versions).

So, you would not use (nor could it pass Tech, I don't think) a C in a GT race today. I think, in the past, there have been some very rare instances where Cs did race in the lowest class of GrandAm/IMSA GT (360, IIRC, until the GTs were developed and became available). IIRC, FoW and FoQ ran a couple of C cars until their GTs arrived. But, the Cs would not have been competitive against the RSRs and other class competitors.

PWC is more likely where the C cars could have had an opportunity to do well in the past. But, it would appear that the GT3 is the weapon of choice there these days. GT2 isn't as popular, from a sales perspective, as is the GT3, as more privateers can afford to run in the lower classes. Running a C car there would be a waste of money and time, I think.

CW

 

Sebring is highly variable. We've done low 2:00's one day and 2:10's on different days. The conditions, amount of rubber down, how new the tires are, air temps/humidity etc etc can create huge swings in optimal lap times. IIRC Mark McKenzie turned a 2:06 or 2:09 in his 430C when we were down there; might be easy to look up the CCR times. Onofrio could pedal his pre-EVO 458C at serious velocity there as well.

Generally the 458GT3 is faster on most tracks due to chassis and tires, and generally better drivers. At Daytona, a Challenge car will have higher terminal speed and faster lap times than a GTD car, other tracks slower. The 458 Evo's are down about 8mph on top speed but 2-3 seconds a lap faster than pre-Evo.

 

GT2 is the best!
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